Ben Campbell is a shy, brilliant M.I.T. student who--needing to pay school tuition--finds the answers in the cards. He is recruited to join a group of the school's most gifted students that heads to Vegas every weekend armed with fake… MoreBen Campbell is a shy, brilliant M.I.T. student who--needing to pay school tuition--finds the answers in the cards. He is recruited to join a group of the school's most gifted students that heads to Vegas every weekend armed with fake identities and the know-how to turn the odds at blackjack in their favor. With unorthodox math professor and stats genius Micky Rosa leading the way, they've cracked the code. By counting cards and employing an intricate system of signals, the team can beat the casinos big time. Seduced by the money, the Vegas lifestyle, and by his smart and sexy teammate, Jill Taylor, Ben begins to push the limits. Though counting cards isn't illegal, the stakes are high, and the challenge becomes not only keeping the numbers straight, but staying one step ahead of the casinos' menacing enforcer: Cole Williams.

Inspired by the real-life story of the M.I.T. students who took Las Vegas casinos for millions, 21 has been reshaped to fit a simple movie template -- and it's nearly as much fun as watching an insurance professional compute actuarial tables.

One of those movies I saw before I was too jaded to just sit back and enjoy a cliched drama once in a while, I will still defend that there is something… MoreOne of those movies I saw before I was too jaded to just sit back and enjoy a cliched drama once in a while, I will still defend that there is something worthwhile about "21". Maybe it's the cast, with Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne playing the kind of intimidating roles they were born for. Maybe its the infectious, neon Vegas imagery. Maybe its just the music, or the strippers. "21" kept me engaged the first couple times I saw it, so it must have that potential for others.

Eric Alvarez

Gotta love any rags to riches story, and when it deals with gambling and counting cards it's even better. Overall, good fun movie.

Conner Rainwater

21 is just a genuinely fun movie that never tries to be more than it is and always keeps you interested. Most of this is due to the multi-talented British… More21 is just a genuinely fun movie that never tries to be more than it is and always keeps you interested. Most of this is due to the multi-talented British Superstar, Jim Sturgess. He takes what could've been a typical and flat character and morphs it into someone who's so much more. You just feel so much for his character because you feel like it's a real person trying to get into a school and not a movie character. His natural talent and charm only help this further. The ensemble cast is also really good including a Kate Bosworth that's different from the usual routine, Kevin Spacey being as convincingly bizarre as usual and Morpheus as an intimidating security guard. Now the overall story is extremely interesting and it's a lot different from what you usually see in an average movie about college kids. It focuses on what makes Ben such a great person and then lets you get absorbed in the high roller lifestyle as well. On top of that, it's well made and doesn't feel an amateurish attempt. This isn't a heist movie like Ocean's 11 or a movie about cards like Rounders; it's a movie about one person's will to do whatever it takes to chase a dream. It's easy to blow this over since it wasn't all that successful or critically acclaimed, but it's so much more worthwhile than it had to be. Given the chance, I think most people would enjoy it just as much.

Jameson Worley

I loved this film! In my opinion, it's extremely underrated. I really liked the story and I thought there was good attention to detail. Pretty good… MoreI loved this film! In my opinion, it's extremely underrated. I really liked the story and I thought there was good attention to detail. Pretty good direction by Robert Luketic...it seemed like every scene was executed to make sure it allowed the story to progress. I loved the cast...Kevin Spacey is great, and who doesn't like Laurence Fishburne? Great performance by Jim Sturgess, and Kate Bosworth is nice too. I'm surprised critics don't like this...I thought it very good. Good story, strong cast, good thrills, emotion. It delivered for me. I'd definitely watch it again, it's kind of a guilty pleasure kind of movie.

Eugene Bernabe

A dynamic cast compiled by the help of one Kevin Spacey. 21 is a swift and smart story that is visually fascinating as it is clever. The film is brought down by… MoreA dynamic cast compiled by the help of one Kevin Spacey. 21 is a swift and smart story that is visually fascinating as it is clever. The film is brought down by the less-than-charismatic drama. Regardless of the uninspiring tone, the film is fair and solid enough to watch and enjoy. 4/5

Directors Cat

[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]
For a film that has a plot that could have really benefited from a darkly serious… More[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]
For a film that has a plot that could have really benefited from a darkly serious approach and a ensemble of blank faced actors for the characters "21" is almost too melodramatic to a fault. In terms of character development the film is highly formulaic. Jim Sturgess' character is very cliched and you're left wondering sometimes if you should root for him or not as opposed to those made to look like the bad guys. Either way, the film would have been a total disaster if it wasn't for Kevin Spacey and the always great Laurence Fishburne who both bring a certain amount of energy to the intriguing true story which this is undoubtedly based on very loosely. The director Robert Luketic has previously made some appauling films next to his only good film Legally Blonde. But here he's made a perfectly enjoyable crime flick if you let yourself relax into it. At times it can be tense, it's consistently slick and features strong performances all around from it's unknown cast members. It's a bit long but it finds it's way with solid acting and moments of suspese and light hearted comedy. It isn't the best Vegas based caper for sure ("Ocean's Eleven" this is not) but there are many crime saga outings that are a lot less engaging and entertaining than this decent, if generic and flawed thriller.

Manu Gino

Inspired by the true story of five students who changed the game forever.
Saw it again! Well it was a very good movie surprisingly so.You kinda think you know… MoreInspired by the true story of five students who changed the game forever.
Saw it again! Well it was a very good movie surprisingly so.You kinda think you know what's gonna happen but somehow it changes somehow. Great movie! Good cast, very recommended to all.
Ben Campbell is a shy, brilliant M.I.T. student who needing to pay school tuition finds the answers in the cards. He is recruited to join a group of the school's most gifted students that heads to Vegas every weekend armed with fake identities and the know-how to turn the odds at blackjack in their favor. With unorthodox math professor and stats genius Micky Rosa leading the way, they've cracked the code. By counting cards and employing an intricate system of signals, the team can beat the casinos big time. Seduced by the money, the Vegas lifestyle, and by his smart and sexy teammate, Jill Taylor, Ben begins to push the limits. Though counting cards isn't illegal, the stakes are high, and the challenge becomes not only keeping the numbers straight, but staying one step ahead of the casinos' menacing enforcer: Cole Williams.

xGary Xx

A group of brilliant mathematics students go to Vegas to make big money counting cards. 21 is a bit like Ferris Bueller's Day Off crossed with Ocean's… MoreA group of brilliant mathematics students go to Vegas to make big money counting cards. 21 is a bit like Ferris Bueller's Day Off crossed with Ocean's Eleven. It's an interesting story based on true life events and it did make me wonder how the casinos get away with treating people like this; they come up with a way to fleece the public out of their money at will, but if anyone knows how to play and win (without cheating I may add) they get the crap kicked out of them and thrown out...basically anyone can play as long as they lose. Well, I'm sold...The biggest problem with 21 is the fact that no-one involved were very likable; they're just a bunch of selfish, smart assed kids led by Kevin Spacey on autopilot playing cards and counting. Not the most exciting combination. It was nice to see Laurence Fishburne play a bad ass again and I was interested enough to see what happened, but I was never truly hooked. Add a bland cast and a director desperately trying to make Blackjack look like The Fast And The Furious and you have a mediocre pseudo heist movie that passes the time pleasantly enough but is rather difficult to care about.

Sanjay Rema

This movie just has so many points at which it should end, but it just keeps going and going and it isn't extremely interesting.

Martin Sahlin

I think this movie was pretty impressive. It's a pretty advanced movie. Nice to see Kevin Spacey mentoring all theese young unknown actors.

Wildaly M

Decent caper flick.

Japes .

I've seen this movie a bunch of times, and it is a pretty decent film. The acting is great, the storyline is really interesting, and some parts of the… MoreI've seen this movie a bunch of times, and it is a pretty decent film. The acting is great, the storyline is really interesting, and some parts of the movie were really intense.
While I did enjoy this film, there were some things I really couldn't get by. The first thing was by far the music. The music in this film did not fit the movie at all. The opening credits song and pretty much every song after that was really bad and made the movie less enjoyable. I think if they could've gotten better music, it would've made the movie flow a lot better and kept the viewers interest.
The second thing I didn't like was the script. Some of the insults the script had the characters hurl at each other really didn't seem like insults to me...and I was embarrassed for the people that actually had to say them. "You arrogant little infant"...what? Who says that? That's not offensive, it's funny, and it wasn't trying to be.
The movie also makes it seem like counting cards is really easy to do. At the end of the movie, I felt like if I wanted to, I could count cards and win a load of cash at a casino. Of course, counting cards is not that easy, and there's more involved than just +1, +2, and awkward body gestures.
This movie is a very enjoyable movie, and I would recommend it to others. It's not the best movie ever made, but it's okay.